Damned Yankees
With attendance and TV ratings down, a mediocre record on the field and the loss of several marquee players, the New York Yankees are suffering through a painful 2013 season. The Yankees are in fourth place in the American League East, six games behind the surprising Boston Red Sox, and are also trailing the Baltimore […]
Fredericksburg officials, Quinn discuss new ballpark
Bruce Quinn, majority owner of the Hagerstown Suns (Low Class A; Sally League), met with Fredericksburg (Va.) officials last night about a potential new ballpark and how it could be funded. Quinn has been negotiating with Hagerstown officials about a new ballpark, but those discussions have stalled. With Fredericksburg officials working on a ballpark plan […]
Stars scrap gun raffle, will still celebrate Second Amendment
Minor League Baseball and Southern League officials stepped in to persuade the Huntsville Stars (Class AA; Southern League) to scrap a gun raffle set for July 3, but the Second Amendment promotion will go on as scheduled. The Stars were working on the promotion with a local gun shop to give away two Ruger rifles […]
Richmond committee: Don’t put ballpark location to vote
The decision where to build a new ballpark for the Richmond Flying Squirrels (Class AA; Eastern League) should not be left to voters in a November referendum, according to a city committee recommendation. Though the recommendation from the Organizational Development Committee doesn’t technically kill the proposal, it does send a clear signal that the full council […]
Sager bobbleheads a big hit in Fort Myers
It was awfully sporting for broadcaster Craig Sager to dress exactly like one of the two bobbleheads given away by the Fort Myers Miracle (High Class A; Florida State League) last weekend, but it did add to the ambiance. A good crowd turned out for the return of the former WINK-TV sports broadcaster, who began […]
Grasshoppers send Miss Lou Lou Gehrig to extended spring training
After months of refining skills and fundamentals in spring training and professional games, the youngest bat girl for the Greensboro Grasshoppers (Low Class A; Sally League), Miss Lou Lou Gehrig, has been sent back to extended spring training. Miss Lou Lou Gehrig saw limited playing time early in the 2013 season but her coaches have recently […]
Wolff: We’re not ceding northeast to Diamond League
Can-Am League Commissioner Miles Wolff says his circuit will pursue some of the same markets currently eyed by the startup independent Diamond League, including four former Can-Am markets. Specifically listed by Wolff as being potential 2014 expansion markets for the independent Can-Am League: Atlantic City, N.J.; Worcester, Mass.; Sussex County, N.J.; Montreal and Ottawa. “We […]
Can promotions go too far?
Two recent promotions from MiLB teams involving controversial subjects drew some criticism from outside the baseball world, raising the question of whether promos can go too far. The Huntsville Stars (Class AA; Southern League) are drawing some attention for “2nd Amendment Night” at Joe Davis Stadium on July 3. The team is working with a […]
Ballpark Digest by the numbers
We get asked pretty regularly about exactly who reads Ballpark Digest, so we’ve compiled the results of a recent reader poll for your review. In terms of sheer numbers, between 42,000 and 52,000 unique IP addresses (which does not include search engines and other automated crawlers) check Ballpark Digest in a given month. There are […]
After three years, TD Ameritrade Park on edge of profitability
Big crowds at the College World Series and a well-attended outdoor hockey event could put Omaha’s TD Ameritrade Park in the black for the first time. The business plan behind the $131-million ballpark, built expressly to house the College World Series, is a little wonky: the NCAA gets a huge guaranteed chunk of the revenues, as […]
Rawhide uncover curse of Joe Charboneau’s alligator
It’s always a good story when Joe Charboneau is a central player, and even better when Joe Charboneau’s alligator is involved, as the Visalia Rawhide (High Class A; California League) uncover the curse afflicting the team. Here’s the full release from the Rawhide: VISALIA—It’s been 35 years since the Rawhide last won the California League championship. […]
Dennis Koho new president of West Coast League
Dennis Koho, who led the efforts to bring in the Salem-Keizer Volcanoes (short season A; Northwest League) while serving as mayor of Keizer, is the new president of the summer-collegiate West Coast League. He begins his duties on July 1 as the replacement for Ken Wilson. He’s currently on the Keizer City Council and is […]
Tennessee Smokies sold
The Tennessee Smokies (Class AA; Southern League) have a new owner, as Randy Boyd, founder and CEO of Knoxville-based Radio Systems Corporation, has reached an agreement to purchase the team from the current ownership group. The deal has been under discussion since January and an agreement was reached in March, followed by the application and […]